ChildCareBC Bulletin

Edition 85, May 15, 2024

Archived editions

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ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund now open

The 2024-25 ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund intake is now open. Applications will be accepted until August 2, 2024.

The ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund has been instrumental in creating thousands of new licensed child care spaces throughout B.C., improving access to child care for families who want affordable, quality, inclusive and culturally safe child care.

The fund is available for Indigenous governing entities; local governments; public bodies, including health authorities, boards of education, public post-secondary institutions, and crown corporations; not-for-profits and Indigenous not-for-profits; First Nations schools and other eligible independent schools to apply for space creation funding. Eligible applicants apply for funding through the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund application process.

Here’s what’s new for 2024-25:

• This year, there are two pathways to apply to the ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund. School districts will use the Capital Asset Planning System (MyCAPS) to request funding for child care projects on school grounds in addition to education capital funding. All other eligible public sector applicants will apply through the existing ChildCareBC New Spaces Fund application process
• Two new grant streams are available. The major and minor capital project streams replace the New Spaces Fund Primary Stream and the School Age Care on School Grounds Stream
• Applicants applying to the major capital grant are required to own the land where the proposed child care centre and new child care spaces will exist. Indigenous governing entities are exempt from this requirement  
• Not-for-profit organizations, including Indigenous not-for-profits, are required to be registered as a society in British Columbia under the Societies Act, as well as be operational for at least one year prior to application to qualify for a minor capital grant. Organizations must be operational for at least four years to qualify for a major capital grant
• For grant recipients who intend to secure an authorized operator to run the child care centre, the lease between parties must not be greater than fair-market rent
• Under the major capital funding stream, applicants must provide, at minimum, a Class D Estimate and a detailed project budget as part of the application process

Before applying to the New Spaces Fund, applicants are encouraged to consult with local First Nations on their plans. This is one way to engage to support development of projects that serve all members of the community and an opportunity to initiate or strengthen relationships with First Nations governments on whose territory the space is to be developed.

Learn more about how government is taking action to recruit and retain early childhood professionals and lift up the child care sector on the Support for Early Childhood Professionals web page.

Public sector applicants with questions about child care operational planning and programming can contact the Child Care Development Support team at ccdevsupport@gov.bc.ca. 

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Reminder to school districts: submit your 2024-25 capital funding request by May 15 

School districts started preparing their 2024-25 and 2025-26 capital plans for child care using the expanded Capital Asset Planning System (CAPS) on April 8, 2024. As a reminder, submissions for 2024-25 will be accepted until May 15, 2024, and submissions for 2025-26 will align with the capital planning cycle for K-12. For more information, refer to the Capital Plan instructions. 

To help ensure fair and equitable access to capital funding, school district requests will be considered at the same time as other applications to the New Spaces Fund. The ministry will review requests, select projects and notify school districts if they have been selected to move forward. Unsuccessful applicants will also be notified. 

School districts with questions about the process or capital concept development can contact the Child Care Regional Director and Planning Officer team. School districts with questions about child care operational planning and programming can contact the Child Care Development Support team at ccdevsupport@gov.bc.ca.  

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Upcoming regional engagements on Indigenous early learning and child care

The Ministry of Education and Child Care, together with Aboriginal Head Start Association of BC, BC Aboriginal Child Care Society, BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres, First Nations Health Authority and Métis Nation BC are continuing our series of in-person and virtual engagements on Indigenous Early Learning and Child Care in B.C. Following the first series of five engagements that took place in February and March, the next series of five more engagements is now well underway, with three still to come:

• May 29: Cranbrook
• June 6-7: Prince George
• June 11: Virtual session 

These engagements are intended to gather Indigenous child care providers, managers and leaders for a day of learning and relationship building. These engagements are a great way to connect with peers and to discuss the most important matters impacting Indigenous early learning and child care in B.C. In addition, early childhood educators will get a certificate for six hours. This certificate can be used to fulfil professional development requirements for renewing their certification through the ECE Registry.

If you are an Indigenous child care professional and would like to attend one of the upcoming sessions, please email ChildCareBC.Engagement@gov.bc.ca.

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Trauma-informed care for children and youth webinar with Child Health BC

Child Health BC is hosting a webinar on Thursday, May 30, from 5 - 6 p.m. to provide practical guidance for health care teams throughout B.C. to understand the impact adverse childhood experiences, positive childhood experiences and attachment theory have on child and youth health development.

Speakers include family physicians, Drs. Linda Emiko Uyeda and Shirley Sze, as well as developmental pediatrician Dr. Christine Loock.

For further information, please visit the Child Health BC website. Registration is not required to attend the event, and participants can attend by clicking the zoom link at the event time.

• Event page
• Zoom link

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